PreGame
by Minnet
Summary: He doesn't care. He can't care. Demyx wants to care, though. Number IX has encounters with Zexion and others. A prequel to 'The Game'.


Wow… I'm finally writing something new. It's been a while. Three weeks? My distractions are gone, my brother's gone back to college and so have his damned (yet wonderful) video games.

Sort of the same thing as _The Game_, except a bit of a prequel. It's about Demyx and his experiences with one of Zexion's victims.

**- - -**

Demyx watched.

He watched as, day by day, Zexion went through more and more 'toys'. Zexion didn't know them. He didn't like them. He didn't even remember their names. Demyx knew, though. He remembered all of them. They were all so different; many weren't worth remembering, but the rest were.

Jaymie, she was an artist. She had just received a scholarship to an art university, before disappearing, to the great regret of all her friends and family. Before her disappearance, she was so happy. Zexion ruined that.

Piers had just bought the car he'd wanted for three years. It took him working two part-time jobs to save up enough money for it, and when he finally got it, he was in a state of euphoria. Zexion took him, but forced him to watch his car burn, first.

Jared had finally moved out after high school. Away from the home where his destructive, lush of a father beat him daily for being a 'queer'. _Finally_, though, he was going to move to Canada with his boyfriend, where they would have gotten married. Zexion stole his dream.

Tabbi (short for 'Tabitha' as she told him) was a junior in high school. There was no special reason why Zexion took her and ruined everything she had or was, made her beg on her knees for her life. Maybe it's because she was average, he wanted to take her contention away, like he took away everyone else's happiness or made them actually hate life.

There were others, many others. Others that thought life was horrible, and Zexion made them realize how bad it could actually get… and others that he just took everything away from.

It had been Demyx's duty to watch over them when Zexion wouldn't. Demyx brought them food, when Zexion requested (commanded), he took them to the bathroom, if they needed it. He didn't exactly see why he had to do so much when Zexion was just going to kill them all; why he had to be in contact with them. Why couldn't The Cloaked Schemer have just gotten Roxas, or any of the other lower-ranked Nobodies to do it?

Because Demyx tried to care.

**- X - X -**

Demyx was standing on an eleventh floor balcony of Castle Oblivion watching the rain, coat sticking to his skin, and humming a quiet tune when Zexion approached him. He walked through the glass doors wordlessly, and slowly walked over to Demyx, until he was standing next to him. The younger Nobody didn't notice until the shorter spoke.

"I have… something new for you to take care of." The boy's voice made Demyx jump.

"What..?" asked the blonde, not completely paying attention and continuing to watch the rain slide down the leather of his sleeve.

"You heard me: I have a new pet for you to take care of."

He turned to look at Zexion. The long bit of silver hair obscuring the right side of his face was dampening as the intensifying drizzle continued to fall. His porcelain-skinned, child's face masked the darker nature of a sadist. Demyx looked away. "Why?" he asked simply.

Zexion leaned forward on the railing of the balcony and fixed his eyes on the ground below. "Why what?"

"Why do you torture them?" the musician inquired of his elder.

In answer, he shrugged. "They deserve it."

"That's not true! I mean… some do, but a lot of the ones you break don't!" Demyx said suddenly and turned to Zexion.

"Don't pretend as if you care, we both know you can't," Zexion replied while rolling his eyes. "We're Nobodies… We don't have feelings, we can't care, we're completely selfish, sociopathic beings."

"I can care if I want… I'll make myself care…" The Melodious Nocturne said, while turning away from Zexion and staring at his hands, resting in front of him on the railing.

"It's a good dream, Demyx," Zexion told him in mockery. "I also like to see all the different emotions they have… All the emotions I **don't **have. That I **can't** have! _That_ is another reason why I do it. Follow me," he commanded. Zexion turned around and Demyx followed him inside to the hallway. The Cloaked Schemer strode briskly down the marble hallways of Castle Oblivion to the staircase that led down to the many other floors. "You'll learn to be cruel in your own time, Demyx, that's why I've appointed you to take care of them. I've got to take away that **last **shred of humanity left in you, that's when you can truly 'exist' as a Nobody. That's when you'll **really **understand and become useful." Zexion prattled on like that all the way down the sixteen flights of stairs from the eleventh floor to the seventh basement level. _(Excuse my math if it's off.)_

The two stopped just outside the door to the room where Zexion kept his toys. The shorter Nobody unlocked the door and let Demyx in just before leaving.

**- X - X -**

Upon entering the room, Demyx saw a boy of about seventeen in the far-left corner of the room, trying to pull the long chains on his arms off. His long brown bangs fell over his face, most likely hiding a look of determination and failing hope.

"It's no use…" Demyx informed him in a morose tone. The boy across the room snapped his head up to look at Demyx and jumped a little when the other spoke. He hadn't even noticed anyone had entered.

"D--Did he send you?" he asked.

Demyx looked off to the side. "In a way, yes… Not that I really wanted to be here… but, yes, if you mean Zexion, he did send me." Across the room, Demyx could see the boy's eyes widen. "If you're worried, don't be. _I'm_ not here to hurt you, I'm only here to take care of you." Thoughts of what Zexion had told him on the way down there flooded back into his mind, but he pushed them away quickly. He walked across the room and stood a few feet away from Zexion's new prey and looked down at him. "What's your name?"

"Milo…"

"That's an odd name…" Demyx mumbled to himself. "Mine is Demyx. All I'm really supposed to do is bring you food and escort you to the bathroom and that kind of shit, but whatever," he said while turning around and waving his 'orders' off with his right hand. "Where are you from?"

Milo was in a bit of shock at this new entity in the room. First he had experienced Zexion, the cruel, demanding force of sadism, then he was introduced to Demyx, the seeming normal one of the two, asking random, casual questions. "Um… I'm from New York…" he replied slowly.

Number IX blinked. "Where's that?"

The chained boy was dumbfounded. "What do you mean you don't know where New York is…? You've got an American accent… You're joking?"

"Nope, never heard of New York," Demyx replied while shaking his head. Then, the door opened and Zexion stepped inside.

"Demyx, leave," was all he said, and the younger Nobody followed the order. Not before giving Milo a short 'goodbye, good luck' nod, though.

**- X - X -**

Laying on his bed on the ninth floor of Castle Oblivion was Demyx, the day after he'd been rushed out of the room by Zexion. He was staring at the ceiling, contemplating what he should do. If he should follow what Zexion said, about abandoning all human morals and instincts and embracing his true 'nature', or staying the way he was. The swish of a darkness portal opening in his room pulled him from his thoughts as he watched Number VI walk out into the middle of his room, but then looked back at the ceiling. "Do you know what knocking is?"

"Of course I know, but I don't think I should have to, as I am your superior," Zexion scoffed and sauntered to an armchair across the room, making himself comfortable by slinging one leg over an arm of it and slouching. "Guess what Demyx…" he taunted.

"What do you want?"

The boy in the chair grinned sinisterly. "That boy down in the basement… he's a lot like you. Both musicians, both had hopes and dreams, both _o _so naïve," The Cloaked Schemer listed off, causing Demyx to roll over in his bed and put his back to him. "O _please_! You don't have feelings, don't act like you do, or that I've hurt them! It's so… dull," Zexion sneered while rolling his eyes. "But… it's also slightly amusing," he said, smiling and placing his hand on his chin. Demyx gave him 'the finger'. "Don't be like that, young one! You shall learn yet what it means to be a Nobody!" he said in mock excitement while getting off of the chair. Then his demeanor changed entirely. "Get out of the bed now, and go down to that boy."

Demyx rolled over and eyed Zexion with slight anger, or what he felt from the memory of anger. Zexion rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Don't give me that look. Go." With that, Demyx did as he was told.

**- X - X -**

When Demyx walked in the room and saw Milo, he had a fat lower lip with smeared, dried blood on it and a deep scab. "Whoa… he really got you good when he kicked you…" Milo nodded, but didn't say anything. The blonde sat down a few feet in front of him. "What'd he say to you? Did he mainly just ramble on and ask you questions, or did he actually hurt you..?"

The boy leaned back against the wall and sighed. "Mostly… he told me that hoping for escape or anything of the sort was useless. That was after he kicked me," as he said this, he pointed to his face, indicating the scab. "He asked me some questions, but also told me what he knew of me… and…well, that was actually a lot…" Milo looked at the floor between his spread legs.

"Yeah… he tends to stalk or research people before he 'takes' them… At least I think he does," Demyx offered. "How long have you been down here, anyways?"

"I think this is my third day."

"Holy Hell, I should get you some food then!" And with that, Demyx left the room through a portal before Milo could say anything, and returned three minutes later with a chicken sandwich a small glass of juice.

**- X - X -**

Life for Demyx and Milo went on similar to that for four days, with Zexion being a cruel driving force to Demyx's 'conversion'.

**- X - X -**

The Melodious Nocturne was in the library looking for an interesting book, while Luxord played a game of Solitaire at a table. "Why does it take you so long just to find a book?"

"Because I have a short attention span and need something to hold it…" Demyx replied off-hand, as he read the inside flap of a small book. He looked over to Luxord who was, of course, winning at the game. "How does _Misery_, by Stephen King, sound? You read it?"

The Gambler of Fate quirked an eyebrow. "Sure, if you like reading books with characters similar to Saïx." Demyx gave him a worried look. "I'm sure it would hold your attention, though. It's actually no--" but he was cut off as a portal opened in the room and Zexion walked out.

"Leave," he said, looking over to Luxord with a glare. Number X returned the glare, but gathered his cards and left through a portal anyways. Zexion strolled over to where Demyx stood and leaned against the bookshelf. "O, _Misery_, lovely book. Reminds me of someone… One of the main characters is absolutely disturbed!"

"Saïx; Luxord said the character reminds him of Saïx…" Demyx responded quietly.

"Yes, that's whom!"

Demyx looked at the other. "Why are you here?" he asked, pushing the book back into its spot on the shelf.

Zexion shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, I just figured I'd come tell you that I plan on disposing of your friend tonight." The younger Nobody's arm, which was reaching for a book, dropped to his side as Zexion smirked at his 'surprise'. "Don't act like you didn't know it was coming. _Don't give me that look_! You don't care and you know it! You only wish you could…"

Demyx left the library through a portal leading to Milo.

**- X - X -**

At the time Demyx arrived in the room, Milo was sleeping in the corner, the scab on his lip just beginning to heal and a cold sweat on his face. "Milo…" he called, waking the boy from his shallow sleep.

He blinked sleep away and answered, "What…?"

"I need to tell you something," the blonde replied, while sitting down a few feet down the wall from him. The boy waited patiently. "Zexion, the boy that hurts you… he's going to… He's going to kill you tonight," he said slowly. Milo just stared at him.

"Why don't you stop him…?"

" I can't," Number IX told him while leaning his head back against the wall and looking up at the ceiling. "He'd have _me_ killed… or, turned into a Dusk."

The boy looked at him, puzzled. "How can you care so much for yourself, more than you do for another person?" he asked in astonishment.

He turned and looked Milo in the eye. "That's the thing, kid, I don't." Demyx looked back up at the ceiling.

"But you cared for me earlier… didn't you? We were friends?"

"I never cared for you, I only tried to. Tried to convince myself to care. But the thing is, he was right… He was right!" he said in 'anger'. "I can't care. I can't make myself care, because caring takes emotion… Sure, we can sort of be friends, but not so much as that I'd let myself be destroyed for you." He sighed. "Yup… Nobodies _are_ just sociopathic, emotionless creatures."

"You must c--"

"Do you believe in God?" Demyx asked suddenly, looking at him again.

Nodding, Milo spoke. "Yes… I'm baptized and believe in God… W--Why?"

"Well, if he's real, no matter how much I doubt he is, he's the only thing that can save you now… Pray."

"I'll keep that in mind," Milo replied, nodding again. Then, the door opened and a figure stood against the light from the white hallway. Even if they couldn't tell whom it was, they still knew. "Out, Demyx."

"I have to go. Goodbye," the blonde said to Milo without looking at him. He then opened a portal and left the room, without looking back at Zexion or his victim.

**- X - X -**

Demyx was on a balcony of the eleventh floor leaning on the railing and watching the rain on the leather of his sleeves. He liked the rain. He liked being wet. Not because of the cliché that no one can tell when you cry in the rain. It just soothed him was all. He heard the glass doors open behind him. "Hello Zexion," he said without turning around.

Zexion walked to the railing and leaned on it like Demyx. "Why do you always do this… after I kill them?" he asked.

"Because it soothes me… because you shouldn't have done it…" Demyx said quietly.

"Who are you to decide what I should and should not do?" he scoffed in return.

"I will not do this any longer. I'm tired of it," the blonde said and started walking towards the balcony door. He clasped the door handle and stopped. "I'm transferring back to The World That Never Was. I think I'm better off there," the Nobody told his superior without turning around. He then opened the door and walked through.

"You don't care! You can't pretend for much longer!" Zexion called after him, but Demyx didn't listen. He was already gone.

**- - -**

**The End.**

**- - -**

That took all day to type up. Probably because I don't exactly like it. So many ideas I had to leave out because I forgot them. Gah. Well, I hope it was better than I thought, because I'm pretty sure I don't like it.

O, and when I typed 'younger Nobody' I meant Demyx was a newer Nobody, not that he was actually younger by age than Zexion. Just in case there was some confusion.

Tú madre.


End file.
